Jim Six: Staying strong in scary times

These are some scary times — and I don’t mean just because Rick Santorum has resurrected his bid for the White House, or that the President spent part of his day the other day shooting a marshmallow gun (at a White House science fair.)

No, it’s because we have no sooner extricated ourselves from one war than we seem to be gearing up for another. And this one could be much worse for everyone concerned.

Iran is rattling its nuclear sword and we have to respond from a position of power.

Pakistan is peeved because we allegedly caused the deaths of innocent people there.

A huge military beach-landing drill is going to take place somewhere along the East Coast — as the military, tied up for so long in the desert and the mountains, reacquaints itself with other terrain — and it even involves combat troops from eight other countries. Some feel it’s practice for a possible confrontation with Iran.

I have mixed emotions about all of this.

At first blush, I feel that Pakistan can go to blazes. When we needed Pakistan to stage for entering Afghanistan, we should have turned it into a parking lot. I have nothing against Pakistanis, except for the ones who have aided and abetted the Taliban and al Qaida, especially the ones who did that while taking our money and pretending to be our friends.

You can’t be ticked off at any one or any country in an all-or-nothing manner.

I have nothing against Muslims. Just the ones who believe they have to take over the world and kill all infidels, namely us, the Great Shaytan. These mostly are the Islamists we are facing in combat and anti-terrorist campaigns and if you think that’s not a religious war, you’re hiding your head in the sand.

War is about power, land and oil — and religion.

WE may not be waging religious war, but we ARE fighting in one. Of course, power and oil are still involved, as is land — when it comes to the differences between Iran and Israel.

I’m sure no one is thrilled that Pakistani civilians are being killed when our drones take out serious targets, but, let’s be honest. Weren’t there pictures from Pakistan of people celebrating in the streets when the World Trade towers came down and the Pentagon was hit? Maybe I’m wrong, but I think there were.

So maybe they’re looking for sympathy in all the wrong places.

This is world affairs. Male hormones and emotions often take over in confrontations. We want to posture and stand our ground and be defiant. But when war is at stake, we need to not be all macho and we have to think it over before acting.

Nobody wants war. But sometimes, we just can’t cave in, can’t go along, can’t just suck it up — and it’s inevitable.

I just hope the people in charge have the stomach for whatever is coming.